This image taken by the front hazard-avoidance camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, shows a clear view of the martian surface in front of the rover before the rover deployed its robotic arm, or instrument deployment device. The arm was deployed from its stowed position beneath the "front porch" of the rover body early Friday morning. This is the first use of the arm to deploy the microscopic imager, one of four geological instruments located on the arm. The instrument will help scientists analyze and understand martian rocks and soils by taking very high resolution, close-up images.

This animation, composed of four images taken by the front hazard-avoidance camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, shows the rover stretching out its robotic arm, or instrument deployment device. This is the first use of the arm on Mars to deploy the microscopic imager, one of four geological instruments located on the arm. The first frame shows a clear view of the martian surface in front of the rover before the arm was successfully deployed early Friday morning. The subsequent frames show the arm emerging from its stowed position beneath the "front porch" of the rover body, reaching out, and using the microscopic imager to take close-up images of the martian soil.

This image taken by the front hazard-avoidance camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, shows the rover's robotic arm, or instrument deployment device. The arm was deployed from its stowed position beneath the "front porch" of the rover body early Friday morning. This is the first use of the arm to deploy the microscopic imager, one of four geological instruments located on the arm. The instrument will help scientists analyze and understand martian rocks and soils by taking very high resolution, close-up images.

This image taken by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit highlights the first patch of soil examined by the rover's microscopic imager. The imager is located on the rover's instrument deployment device, or "arm." The rover can be seen to the right. Engineers first deployed the arm early Friday morning, Jan. 16, 2004.

This animation strings together five different snapshots of the martian soil captured by the microscopic imager onboard the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit. Each picture was taken from a different height. Scientists combine these images to produce one well-focused picture. The actual size of the soil patch shown here is 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) across.

This close-up look at a patch of martian soil is the sharpest image ever taken of another planet. The picture was captured by the microscopic imager located on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's instrument deployment device, or "arm." Scientists liken the alien soil to clumpy cocoa powder. The upper left corner of the soil patch is illuminated by direct sunlight and thus appears brighter. The actual size of the patch is about 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) across.

This image taken by the microscopic imager on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the powdery soil of Mars in 3-D. It is the sharpest look yet at the surface of another planet. The microscopic imager is located on the rover's instrument deployment device, or "arm."

This overhead polar image was captured after the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit took a few baby rolls away from the spacecraft that bore it millions of miles to Mars. The empty lander, now named the Columbia Memorial Station, can be seen to the right of the rover. This image was taken by Spirit's navigation camera.

Scientists have found clues about the nature of martian soil through analyzing wheel marks from the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit in this image. The image was taken by Spirit's rear hazard-avoidance camera just after the rover drove approximately 1 meter (3 feet) northwest off the Columbia Memorial Station (lander platform) early Thursday morning. That the wheel tracks are shallow indicates the soil has plenty of strength to support the moving rover. The well-defined track characteristics suggest the presence of very fine particles in the martian soil (along with larger particles). Scientists also think the soil may have some cohesive properties.

This image shows a screenshot from the software used by engineers to lower the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's instrument deployment device, or "arm." The rover's arm movements were tested and performed with the help of this virtual rover world.

Footage taken at the JPL In-Situ Instruments Laboratory, or "testbed," shows engineers practicing the deployment of the test rover's robotic arm before doing the real thing with the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit at Gusev Crater on Mars. Spirit successfully deployed its robotic arm, which carries four geological instruments, over martian soil early Friday morning. (1/16)

This close-up image of a penny shows the degree to which the microscopic imager on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit can zoom in on a target. The penny is seen exactly as it would be on Mars if it were placed under the microscopic imager.
This picture was taken by the imager during testing at JPL.